NOT PERFECT, BUT PRETTY GOOD!

James Street, from The Master’s College and Seminary, made this five-minute summary of the Old Testament’s plot:




H/T: The Cripplegate

A MATTER OF REDEMPTION

When I was a student at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida, I saw a billboard that contained the message:

JESUS SAVES.

Underneath it some wag had written: 

GREEN STAMPS.

At first I thought to myself, "How crude and disrespectful! Why would anybody be so irreverent as to put that kind of graffiti on a billboard that obviously was expressing someone's faith?

Then I got to thinking about it. 

Do you remember Green Stamps? 

When you went to the grocery store or bought gasoline, the clerk would present you with a certain number of little stamps that you could lick and stick into little books. After you had collected so many books of stamps, you could take them to the S & H Green Stamp store and trade them in for merchandise.

How could those little books of stamps get you merchandise?

It turns out that participating stores placed a small "surcharge" on each product. They kept a small percentage of that "surcharge" and gave the rest to the S & H Green Stamp company, the redemption store.

In other words, you were able to obtain the merchandise because the price for the product had already been paid. You had the S & H Green Stamp book to prove it.

When I thought of that, it suddenly occurred to me, "That is exactly what Jesus has done for us. We can live eternally in the presence of God because the price for our sin had already been paid by Jesus at the cross of Calvary!"

Jesus is the source of our redemption! He saves us!

Saves us from what? 

Jesus saves us from our fear of death. To a Christian, death is not a period at the end of the sentence of our life. Death is a transition to our home! When we sing "This world is not my home, I'm just a-passin' through. My home has been laid up, somewhere beyond the blue..." we are not just saying pretty rhyming words. We are expressing one of the major meanings of our salvation! When we die, we are called to our real home.

Jesus saves us from the penalty of our sins. What we earn when we sin is eternal death. That's the paycheck for sin. It means we have offended God. He cannot so much as look at sin. When Jesus became sin for us on the cross, God turned His back on His Son! Every single person who has ever lived, who lives now or whoever will live is under the curse of sin and has no hope of salvation apart from the grace of God manifested in Christ. We deserve eternal death, but in Christ we receive eternal life as a gift from God!

Jesus saves us from becoming enamored with the trappings of this life.  He delivers us from putting family ahead of Him. He delivers us from putting work ahead of Him. He delivers us from putting entertainment ahead of Him. He delivers us from vain philosophies, from pagan mysticism, from arrogance, pride, hatred and anger. When Jesus saves us, He becomes the center of our lives. (If Jesus is not the center of your life, maybe you should determine whether or not you have really been saved)

Jesus saves us to a real, powerful, meaningful purpose to our lives. He becomes the hub around which the rest of the spokes and the rim of our lives revolve. He becomes the in-all, of all, by-all and through-all of everything we are, think and do.

When we stand before God with Jesus by our side, He sees us through Jesus' eyes. Before Him we then stand redeemed. The price for our sin has already been paid. We have the Holy Spirit to prove it!

That should be exciting enough to make even a Baptist shout, "Hallelujah!"

SUNDAY SOUNDS OF PRAISE-Thy Throne O God-Kelly Willard

A Study in Ezekiel-Week 01-Repost

One rendering of Ezekiel's vision

This book will be studied in an overview fashion.  The basic meanings of the passages will be dealt with.

Ezekiel was a priest (Ezekiel 1:3) but never served in that office, as he was still a young man when he was taken captive during the reign of Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:10-16). He was contemporary with Jeremiah and Daniel. Ezekiel spoke to the captives who had been brought to the rivers of Babylon. 

While the other captives wept when they remembered Zion, Ezekiel exulted in the greatest visions ever given to any prophet.  “Ezekiel is the prophet of the Spirit, as Isaiah is the prophet of the Son, and Jeremiah the prophet of the Father.”

Ezekiel was the prophet of the glory of the Lord. The meaning of Ezekiel is seen in the coming glory during the kingdom. Ezekiel looked beyond the sufferings of Christ to “the glory that should follow” (1 Peter 1:11).

Chapter 1 - Displaying the glory of God

Verse 1 - Whereas Jeremiah was the "weeping prophet," Ezekiel is the prophet of visions. His visions were not like those of the founders of the cults: Mary Baker Eddy, Charles T. Russell, Joseph Smith and the like. Ezekiel's visions conform to the message of the Bible, theirs did not.

Verses 2-4 - This is a vision of the presence of God, a Theophany. The lights are brighter than the sun. 1 John 1:5 tells us that God is light. Hebrews 12:29 describes Him as a consuming fire. Acts 26:13 reveals that Paul saw a light from Heaven brighter than the sun.

Verses 5-14 - Intelligent purpose is demonstrated. They reflect the power of God over the whole earth. In each of the creatures we see the face of a man. This is prophetic of the incarnation. It looks to Christ.

The cherubim's job is to show the holiness of God. They are the servants of God. They follow Him going where He orders them to go and doing what He tells them to do.

Verses 15-25 - In the wheels we get a sense of the ceaseless activity and never ending omnipotence of God. God is moving forward. He never goes backward. If we go backward, we are not following God.

These are not the wheels of a UFO, an airplane or some futuristic vehicle. There were eyes around the edge of the wheel. They could see all things. We cannot escape God. He sees and knows everything.

When the cherubim moved, the wheels had to go with them. The Spirit of God had control of the cherubim. Where the Spirit went, the cherubim had to go. God spoke and the cherubim stood still and lowered their wings. His voice was like a mighty army; like an ocean whose waves could not be stopped. His voice brought fear into the heart of a man; a fear that was the beginning of knowledge and wisdom.

Verses 26-28 - Ezekiel saw a throne. It shone like sapphire. On it was a person like a man. This was the preincarnate Christ and Ezekiel had to fall on his face in front of Him and he worshipped Him.

The four faces (Revelation 4:6-8) remind us of the four Gospels in which Christ is revealed in four aspects: in His kingship — symbolized by the lion (Matthew); as a servant — symbolized by the ox (Mark); in His perfect humanity — symbolized by the face of a man (Luke); in His deity  — symbolized by the flying eagle (John).

We must recognize the power and sovereignty of God. When we do, we will recognize our sin and its consequences. We must repent of our sin and turn in faith to Christ. We must trust in, and only in, the finished work of Christ at the cross of Calvary. Then will not only survive being in the presence of God, we will joyfully be with Him in eternity.

Chapter 2 – The Prophet’s call and enduement with power for the office.

Verses 1-2 – The Holy Spirit comes upon Ezekiel in preparation for his office. Israel had once again been rebellious. 

Verses 3-5 – This is about the prophet’s call. He is to speak for God, but will not be heard or obeyed. What they need is a savior. We’ll see the Savior later in the book.

Chapter 3 – The Prophet’s preparation; office as watchman

Verses 1-6 – Ezekiel is told to eat the scroll. The scroll represents the Word of God (Christ).

Verses 7- 8 – God warns of the reaction to and the reception of the message of Ezekiel.

Verses 9-14 – God prepares Ezekiel for the resistance of his people. When we share Christ, we will likely encounter resistance. But we have to share, because Christ said to.
Chapter 7 – Prophecy of final destruction of Jerusalem

Verse 15 – He is a prophet to the captives. His message was heavy duty, and Ezekiel brooded over it before delivered it.

Verses 17-19 – As the watchman on the city walls, Ezekiel is responsible for giving God’s warning. When we are righteous in our own “power,” we will fail. It is when we receive the righteousness of God through Christ that we will succeed by being saved from the penalty of unrighteousness.

Chapter 4 – The Judgment of Jerusalem – The false prophets were telling the people they would have peace. Ezekiel will confirm the word of Jeremiah: You’re not going to have peace. Jerusalem will be destroyed. Governments think they can bring peace. They cannot and they will not. Paul wrote: “When they say ‘peace, peace’ sudden destruction looms. There is only one Prince of Peace, Jesus.

Verses 1-3 – Sign of the tile. Ezekiel was to draw the city of Jerusalem and then break it. The iron pan between him and Jerusalem showed that the city would fall. The defiled bread symbolizes the other issues Israel would face. The bread of the world leads to destruction. The Bread of Life (Jesus) leads to eternal life.

Verses 4-5 – In symbolic action, the prophet lies 390 days on his left side and eats defiled bread.

Verse 6 – The prophet lies forty days on his right side (one day equals one year), depicting the coming siege.

Chapter 5 – The Sign of prophet shaving hair

Verses 1-5 – Ezekiel shaved off his hair (unusual for a priest), divided it into three parts. The three parts depict the three judgments of Jerusalem.

Verses 12- 17 – The judgments are spelled out: The destruction, the judgement of the survivors and the scattering of Israel. The world should heed the warning that without Christ they are doomed. But they will resist the warning.

Chapter 6 – The Sword is to fall upon Jerusalem & the remnant will be saved.

Verses 1-7 – The Word of the Lord is to show the God is the Lord. Choose Him or judgement. The world will not provide shelter. Only God can---through Christ.

Verse 8 – The remnant. There will be a few who will be saved. The road to eternal life is narrow and there are few that will find it. Christianity is a very narrow, by design of God. We need to be warning the world that God will judge their sin. They need to come to God through Christ.

 Verses 1-11 – The concept here is that God is not to be “fooled” with.

Verse 12 – The time is come. This is the prophecy of the final judgement of Israel.

If you are a Christian, God has chosen you to live triumphantly and to tell others about Christ. Whether they want to hear it or not is irrelevant. We are to tell them that to be saved they must place their faith in, and only in, the finished work of Christ at the cross of Calvary.

Joseph's Blessings In Prison

Genesis 39:23 tells us, "The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did." Even in prison Joseph experienced the Lord's blessing. His administrative skills were noticed by the prison warden and he was put in charge of all prison operations.

One of the most important skills missing from far too many churches is the skill of administration. Administration is a gift that the Holy Spirit gives for the purpose of enabling God's work to be done in an orderly, effective manner. Often the task of administration in the Bride of Christ is left up to the pastor, even though it is not one of the Biblical responsibilities of the pastor.

Too often, what the Bible says is considered "impractical," so churches tend to substitute their own concept of how to organize, quite apart from the Biblical model. After all, we believe the Bible is the Word of God, is inspired, is inerrant and is authoritative EXCEPT WHEN IT IS NOT PRACTICAL TO FOLLOW IT.

WRONG!

The Holy Spirit gives the gift of administration for a reason. Christ expects His Bride to plan, coordinate, implement and evaluate His work to ensure its effectiveness.

Many seem to think, "Oh, well. It's only the church. God is forgiving and if we mess up, He will not really care."

ONLY THE CHURCH? HOW DARE WE THINK THAT WAY! The church is to be an offering to God, not a series of popular or entertaining functions. We must place the Bride of Christ in as high esteem as Christ did. He DIED for His bride!

The church's task is to lead people to Christ, to provide effective worship, to train new believers in correct doctrine, to help more mature members grow in Christ, to provide meaningful fellowship and to engage in specific missions education and activity locally and around the world.

That's an awful lot for a pastor to take on at the same time that he tries to accomplish his Bible given duties of prayer, preaching the gospel and ministering to the ongoing needs of his congregation.

Every church needs to come to grips with the need for proper, Godly administration, and someone should serve as the pastor's "right-hand-man" in accomplishing it. It is the administrator's job to take the pressures of day-to-day tasks out of the hands of the pastor in order to allow him to do the job he is called to do. That job is NOT the job of administration.

Churches should seek someone with the kind of administrative skills Joseph had. They should seek someone who can "relieve the warden of his work load," just as Joseph did. Through prayer and careful searching, the Holy Spirit can lead the church to an effective administrator.

So, What's Alright As Far As You're Concerned?

What would you do if you discovered that someone in your church was enamored by a pagan practice and made it publicly known? Would it matter to you? Do you think the Bride of Christ can coexist with pagan practices and beliefs?

For instance, what if you discovered that a leader in your church believed that certain elements have extraordinary physical and emotional healing powers that are associated with Chakra?

What? You don't know what Chakra is? Well, let me enlighten you.

Chakras are a part of a Hindu belief system that teaches that the body has "subtile energy points" that correspond to the physical body and are the "meeting points" of energy channels called "nadiis." There are 7 Chakras: 1) The Root Chakra; 2) The Sacral Chakra; 3) The Solar Plexus Chakra; 4) The Heart Chakra; 5) The Throat Chakra; 6) The Third Eye Chakra and 7) The Crown Chakra.

One of the features of this belief system is that there are certain elements that have metaphysical and physical healing powers. One of those elements is a gemstone called Malachite. Malachite was used by ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans in amulet form to protect the wearer against the "evil eye." It was also used in the Middle Ages to protect children from witches and Satanic influences. The use of these gemstones and other artifacts of Hinduism are explicitly pagan in nature.

So, let me ask again. What would you do if a leader of your church believed in and promoted such a Hindu dogma?

Let me tell you that there is no mystical healing power in stones of any kind. The only healing power in the universe is Jesus. No person who trusts in anything other than the all-sufficiency of Christ is saved and definitely should not be in a leadership position in any church that considers itself a part of the Bride of Christ. Such a person needs to be re-trained as a Christian and most likely needs to repent and be saved.

How has the church come to turn a blind eye toward the quirky and heretical beliefs of its members and leaders?

The church has seriously failed to "vet" (to use a current popular term) its members and leaders. In other words, church members have sat idle while its congregation was infiltrated with "Christians" who hold aberrant beliefs that do not conform to the New Covenant standard. They have shown a total lack of discernment in receiving such members and in making such members leaders.

If this seems narrow minded, so be it. Jesus said the path to eternal life is narrow and few there are who find it. He said that the path to eternal destruction is wide, and lots of people will be on it.

Such a church is like the church at Ephesus referenced in Revelation 2:4, "Yet I hold this against you. You have forsaken your first love." The "first love" is Christ. There is room for no other.

The local Bride of Christ must not be "all-inclusive." It must conform to the basic precepts of the New Covenant or it should not exist.

New members must not be subjected to some sort of orientation class and then dropped like a hot potato, never to endure any further training.

We must school our members in right doctrine. That's what the WHOLE book of 1 Timothy is about.

As far as I am concerned, holding to the mystical belief of Hinduism has absolutely no place in Christ's church. If someone who holds to that belief does not repudiate it and repent, he should be disallowed to lead, deac, preach or anything else.

Memorial Day Tribute

Lest we forget.

A Study in Ezekiel-Week 01

One rendering of Ezekiel's vision

This book will be studied in an overview fashion.  The basic meanings of the passages will be dealt with.

Ezekiel was a priest (Ezekiel 1:3) but never served in that office, as he was still a young man when he was taken captive during the reign of Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:10-16). He was contemporary with Jeremiah and Daniel. Ezekiel spoke to the captives who had been brought to the rivers of Babylon. 

While the other captives wept when they remembered Zion, Ezekiel exulted in the greatest visions ever given to any prophet.  “Ezekiel is the prophet of the Spirit, as Isaiah is the prophet of the Son, and Jeremiah the prophet of the Father.”

Ezekiel was the prophet of the glory of the Lord. The meaning of Ezekiel is seen in the coming glory during the kingdom. Ezekiel looked beyond the sufferings of Christ to “the glory that should follow” (1 Peter 1:11).

Chapter 1 - Displaying the glory of God

Verse 1 - Whereas Jeremiah was the "weeping prophet," Ezekiel is the prophet of visions. His visions were not like those of the founders of the cults: Mary Baker Eddy, Charles T. Russell, Joseph Smith and the like. Ezekiel's visions conform to the message of the Bible, theirs did not.

Verses 2-4 - This is a vision of the presence of God, a Theophany. The lights are brighter than the sun. 1 John 1:5 tells us that God is light. Hebrews 12:29 describes Him as a consuming fire. Acts 26:13 reveals that Paul saw a light from Heaven brighter than the sun.

Verses 5-14 - Intelligent purpose is demonstrated. They reflect the power of God over the whole earth. In each of the creatures we see the face of a man. This is prophetic of the incarnation. It looks to Christ.

The cherubim's job is to show the holiness of God. They are the servants of God. They follow Him going where He orders them to go and doing what He tells them to do.

Verses 15-25 - In the wheels we get a sense of the ceaseless activity and never ending omnipotence of God. God is moving forward. He never goes backward. If we go backward, we are not following God.

These are not the wheels of a UFO, an airplane or some futuristic vehicle. There were eyes around the edge of the wheel. They could see all things. We cannot escape God. He sees and knows everything.

When the cherubim moved, the wheels had to go with them. The Spirit of God had control of the cherubim. Where the Spirit went, the cherubim had to go. God spoke and the cherubim stood still and lowered their wings. His voice was like a mighty army; like an ocean whose waves could not be stopped. His voice brought fear into the heart of a man; a fear that was the beginning of knowledge and wisdom.

Verses 26-28 - Ezekiel saw a throne. It shone like sapphire. On it was a person like a man. This was the preincarnate Christ and Ezekiel had to fall on his face in front of Him and he worshipped Him.

The four faces (Revelation 4:6-8) remind us of the four Gospels in which Christ is revealed in four aspects: in His kingship — symbolized by the lion (Matthew); as a servant — symbolized by the ox (Mark); in His perfect humanity — symbolized by the face of a man (Luke); in His deity  — symbolized by the flying eagle (John).

We must recognize the power and sovereignty of God. When we do, we will recognize our sin and its consequences. We must repent of our sin and turn in faith to Christ. We must trust in, and only in, the finished work of Christ at the cross of Calvary. Then will not only survive being in the presence of God, we will joyfully be with Him in eternity.

Chapter 2 – The Prophet’s call and enduement with power for the office.

Verses 1-2 – The Holy Spirit comes upon Ezekiel in preparation for his office. Israel had once again been rebellious. 

Verses 3-5 – This is about the prophet’s call. He is to speak for God, but will not be heard or obeyed. What they need is a savior. We’ll see the Savior later in the book.

Chapter 3 – The Prophet’s preparation; office as watchman

Verses 1-6 – Ezekiel is told to eat the scroll. The scroll represents the Word of God (Christ).

Verses 7- 8 – God warns of the reaction to and the reception of the message of Ezekiel.

Verses 9-14 – God prepares Ezekiel for the resistance of his people. When we share Christ, we will likely encounter resistance. But we have to share, because Christ said to.
Chapter 7 – Prophecy of final destruction of Jerusalem

Verse 15 – He is a prophet to the captives. His message was heavy duty, and Ezekiel brooded over it before delivered it.

Verses 17-19 – As the watchman on the city walls, Ezekiel is responsible for giving God’s warning. When we are righteous in our own “power,” we will fail. It is when we receive the righteousness of God through Christ that we will succeed by being saved from the penalty of unrighteousness.

Chapter 4 – The Judgment of Jerusalem – The false prophets were telling the people they would have peace. Ezekiel will confirm the word of Jeremiah: You’re not going to have peace. Jerusalem will be destroyed. Governments think they can bring peace. They cannot and they will not. Paul wrote: “When they say ‘peace, peace’ sudden destruction looms. There is only one Prince of Peace, Jesus.

Verses 1-3 – Sign of the tile. Ezekiel was to draw the city of Jerusalem and then break it. The iron pan between him and Jerusalem showed that the city would fall. The defiled bread symbolizes the other issues Israel would face. The bread of the world leads to destruction. The Bread of Life (Jesus) leads to eternal life.

Verses 4-5 – In symbolic action, the prophet lies 390 days on his left side and eats defiled bread.

Verse 6 – The prophet lies forty days on his right side (one day equals one year), depicting the coming siege.

Chapter 5 – The Sign of prophet shaving hair

Verses 1-5 – Ezekiel shaved off his hair (unusual for a priest), divided it into three parts. The three parts depict the three judgments of Jerusalem.

Verses 12- 17 – The judgments are spelled out: The destruction, the judgement of the survivors and the scattering of Israel. The world should heed the warning that without Christ they are doomed. But they will resist the warning.

Chapter 6 – The Sword is to fall upon Jerusalem & the remnant will be saved.

Verses 1-7 – The Word of the Lord is to show the God is the Lord. Choose Him or judgement. The world will not provide shelter. Only God can---through Christ.

Verse 8 – The remnant. There will be a few who will be saved. The road to eternal life is narrow and there are few that will find it. Christianity is a very narrow, by design of God. We need to be warning the world that God will judge their sin. They need to come to God through Christ.

 Verses 1-11 – The concept here is that God is not to be “fooled” with.

Verse 12 – The time is come. This is the prophecy of the final judgement of Israel.

If you are a Christian, God has chosen you to live triumphantly and to tell others about Christ. Whether they want to hear it or not is irrelevant. We are to tell them that to be saved they must place their faith in, and only in, the finished work of Christ at the cross of Calvary.

What Should We Then Do?

As Christians, what are our responsibilities to God, to His Word, to His Son and to each other?

1. We need to know the Scripture. We don't have to memorize a whole bunch of verses, although knowing some in context would help. We need to know what the Bible is about and what it teaches about what it is about. The Bible is about God. It is His revelation of His character, His love fore His creation and His plan for its redemption.

When we read scripture, we need to discern its deeper, ultimate meaning. It is not helpful to quote many verses on a given subject, draw a conclusion about some attitude of God and form a faith system on them. That's what heretics and cults do.

For instance, if I read 2 Kings 9:24 "Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between the shoulders." I cannot conclude that I should use a bow and arrow to shoot somebody. Nor does it mean that if I want somebody dead, if I use a bow and arrow it's OK. That's ridiculous, right?

Well, the Scripture says it and so if I am to follow Scripture I must do what this passage says, mustn't I? No, you mustn't. That is out of context.

How about Deuteronomy 21:15, "If a man has two wives and he loves one but not the other, and both bear him sons..." That means I can have more than one wife (as long as I don't want to be a deacon, since 1 Timothy puts the Kibosh on that). The Bible says it, so I can do it.

What we really need to do is to discover how these verses (and all of the other verses of Scripture) reveal God's character. How do they relate to His love for His creation? What do they tell us about His plan for our redemption? If you cannot find the answers to those questions in the Scripture you are reading, you are misinterpreting it.

Go back to school, dump your previously learned mistaken concepts and learn what the Bible is really about. Otherwise, forget it.

2.  We must see people the way God sees them. Without Christ He sees them as lost. With Christ He sees them as saved for eternity. This should be our passion. We must care about them the way Christ cared for us. He died for us. Are we willing to die in order to propagate the gospel?

What about the tribes in the deepest Amazon who have never heard about Christ?

What about them? Why haven't they heard? Have you told them about Jesus? If not, why not?

We have Internet, radio, TV, airplanes, boats, cars, trains and a myriad of other ways we could be reaching them to tell them about Jesus. Why haven't we? Weren't we told to do so?

3. We should have a passion to train new Christians. They are His babes, and He has charged us with the responsibility to help grow. Do you think "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it." is a reference just to physical children? Does it not apply to those who are just now saved, who know only the milk of the Word?

We should also have a passion for further training for those who are more mature in Christ. They need and want to grow, too. Don't worry. You will never train them in everything they need to be trained in, even if you started tomorrow and kept on until they die. There is ALWAYS more to learn to do for Christ.

4.  We should encourage membership in a local church. It is good to become a part of the family known as the "universal church," but to be effective ministers for Christ (and you DO know that you are a minister for Christ, don't you? If not, you need to get some of that training I was talking about in the section 3), we need to plug in to a local congregation.

You might think you can worship God anywhere, and you can. But you won't. You might think you can serve God anywhere, and you can. But you won't. Besides, the Word of God extols corporate worship, and you can't do that by yourself, no matter where you are.

5.  We must be leading people to serve in the local church (this also goes back to number 3). Christianity is not a spectator sport. People who are committed to being involved will be able to fill the needs of the church. We need to involve people in leadership, in music, in Bible teaching, in A/V ministry, in children's ministry and any other place there is a need.

6. People need to be led to take part in worship. We meet on Sundays for the very reason of worshiping God and celebrating the resurrection of His Son. Sunday worship should not be a time when we perform, either for ourselves or for the pastor. We should be celebrating Christ. Otherwise, we might as well go back to the Old Covenant way of doing things and forget about being religious.

7. We must call leaders who understand the true meaning of the Word of God, who are committed to serving Christ and His church and who set an example of dependability that people can follow. We must choose leaders of right doctrine. We must select leaders who plan for the advancement of the Kingdom of God in the church. We must find leaders who can coordinate and evaluate the functions of the church.

8.  We must invoke and follow the Holy Spirit as He gives us proper interpretation of the Word, as He leads us to effective leadership, as He gives us compassionate hearts and as He leads us to giving the best we have for our King.

Those are some of the things we must do as Christians and as members of the Body of Christ.

Are you a "Godian" or a Christian?

Most people (including many pastors) who think of themselves as Christians make a distinction between God and Christ, often without realizing it. They speak of God, especially when reading or teaching from the Old Testament, as a sort of deity similar to Allah or Buddha only greater.

Let me be clear. God is not merely superior to Allah or Buddha, He is God and they are not. Allah is an evolution of the fabled moon god and Buddha was just an Asian philosopher. God is the sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent Creator of all that is. Jesus is His equal, and is a part of Him.

You see, God the Father is not Jesus, He is not the Holy Spirit, but He is God. God the Son is not the Father; He is not the Holy Spirit, but He is God. God the Holy Spirit is not the Father; He is not the Son, but He is God. To speak of one as noninclusive of the other is blasphemy and heresy.  

God manifests Himself Biblically in three persons, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but as only one God. He always has, does now and always will. He was present in three persons in Genesis 1:1; He was present in three persons in Revelation 22:21 and He is present in three persons now.

The function of the Holy Spirit is not to do things for us, but to point us to Christ. The purpose of Christ is not to perform miracles for us, but to intercede for us to the Father. The Father is referred to as the "Godhead." That includes Christ and the Holy Spirit.

When we close our prayers with the phrase "in Jesus' name," we are not just tacking an incantation on the end of our prayer, we are reaffirming that Christ is the one in whom we trust for our salvation and who brings us into right relationship with the Father; an eternal relationship.

⁹ Therefore, God elevated him (Christ) to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:8-11)

That triune God made covenants with His chosen people, Israel. There were seven of them, collectively referred to as the Old Covenant. They were: the Edenic Covenant, the Adamic Covenant, the Noahic Covenant, the Abrahamic Covenant, the Mosaic Covenant, the Palestinian (Land) Covenant and the Davidic Covenant. 

Those covenants applied to Israel, not to Christians (whether Hebrew or Gentile). Christians have no relationship to God through the Old Covenant. Their relationship to God is through, and only through, the New Covenant, who is Christ.

When we preach or teach from the Old Testament (which is the record of the Old Covenant), we are preaching and teaching from the section that applied to the nation of Israel. That does not mean that it does not apply to Christians, but it applies to Christians in a very different way.

Hebrews 8:13 tells us that the Old Covenant is obsolete. Do you believe the whole Bible or just the parts you like? If you believe the whole Bible, you must accept Hebrews 8:13 and discover how it relates to the rest of Scripture. (If you don't accept Hebrews 8:13, which is a part of the Bible, you might as well throw the whole thing out, because if part of it is wrong, there is no part of it you can trust.)

The whole point of the "Hall of Faith" (Hebrews 11), as the logical conclusion of Hebrews 4-10, is that the Jews of the Old Covenant are saved the same way Christians are saved: by faith in Messiah (Christ). It was not their faith in Godianity that saved them. The Jews were saved by their faith in the coming Messiah. Gentiles and Messianic Jews are saved by faith in the Christ of the New Covenant (a concept Jews would readily understand). 

Every word, phrase, verse, chapter and book of the Old Testament is about the Christ of the New Covenant. When we preach or teach from it, we MUST discover and relate HOW that section applies to the coming New Covenant, or we miss the point, in effect, lying about its meaning and application.

For instance, the story of David and Goliath is not the story of good over evil. It is not the story of "one person plus God equals a majority." It is not the story of God enabling David to defeat Goliath with a stone. The story of David and Goliath is an Old Testament picture of how God would overcome sin (the Philistines) through His Christ of the New Covenant.

If one reads the story apart from the context of all Scripture, that will never be the point of the story. But when it is read in the context OF Scripture, it can have no other meaning.

So! Are you a "Godian" or a Christian? If you are a "Godian," you are lost. You need to come to Christ, the person who is the New Covenant. You must place your faith in, and only in, His finished work at the cross of Calvary. Only He can cause you to "...rise up on wings as eagles" and enable you to enter Heaven for all of eternity.

SALVATION - THEN WHAT?

In the minds of many Christians, after one is saved there are still plenty of rules to follow. There are lists of DOs and DON'Ts and Old Covenant principles to follow.

They say, "If you don't believe it, just read James. It is nothing more than a book of rules for Christian living, right?"

WRONG.

James is a description of the lives of those who have come to Christ. It is not a list of how Christians SHOULD behave, it is a revelation of how Christians relate to Christ. Christians listen and serve, they love the brethren, they demonstrate their faith in deeds, speak kindly toward one another, make wise decisions, submit to God, live for today and are patient prayers who are comfortable in their faith.

James points to, and only to, the Lord, Jesus Christ. It's not about us, it's about Him.

People who combine Old Covenant rules with New Covenant freedom (not license) have a Biblical name. They are called "Judaizers."  Theirs is no gospel at all. It is the "different gospel" of Galatians 1:6-10.

"Well, what about the Old Testament heroes? Didn't David sin and didn't God give him a 'second chance?'" I hear you ask.

That is a very sophomoric and un-Biblical reading of the life of David.

Of course David sinned. We all do. That is not an excuse for sin, it is just who we are. That is why we (David and us) need Christ. Without Christ we will die in our sins and will spend eternity in Hell.

David was saved the same way we are saved; through faith in Christ. His was a faith in a coming Christ, ours is faith in the Christ who has come.

Those who preach "the God of the second chance" denigrate the gospel, unless they explain that the second chance is not another chance to be good, but is the new life in Christ that transforms and renews our minds.

Manasseh's disobedience and despicable behavior  in 2 Chronicles 33 does not illustrate God's second chance, it illustrated the depravity of man and therefore his need of Christ.

Nothing in the Bible is about the people in the Bible. The people are used to illustrate truths about the character of God. The Bible is not about us, it is about Him.

From word one to the last "Amen" of the Book of the Revelation, the Bible is about God's character, His love for His creation and His plan for its redemption (Christ).

Jesus did not say, "If a person accepts me and follows the rules he will be saved and will please God." He said, "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." (John 12:32) He also said, "The Son of Man must be lifted up." (John 12:34)

Since He has been lifted up from the earth (on the cross and at His ascension), it is Jesus who draws us to Himself. And if we are saved, we are saved by, and only by, His life, death, burial and resurrection.

There is nothing more. If Christ is not enough, He died in vain. If there is some "second blessing," as it is practiced in some churches, Christ is not enough and He died in vain. If Christ is not enough and we need to adjust our behavior ourselves to please God, He died in vain.

Jesus does not need the help of certain kinds of worship, certain kinds of music, certain kinds of prayers, certain kinds of offerings or certain kinds of praise. He is sufficient in-and-of Himself, or He is not sufficient at all.

So, after salvation - then what?

After salvation - Jesus. That's all. Jesus.

Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. There's just something about that name.

Why would we preach anything else and pretend we're "preaching the Word?"

SUNDAY SOUNDS OF PRAISE-Lord of Eternity-Fernando Orgega

Song of Songs-The Song of Solomon-The Bible Study

The Bible is God’s revelation of His character, His love for His creation and His plan for its redemption. Many people are quick to proclaim the Bible as God’s word, and it is. Some will tell you it’s about Jesus. But when it comes to the Song of Songs (also called the Song of Solomon), they fall all apart, not knowing how to deal with it.

The Song of Songs (SOS) is very intense, and seems at least a bit racy, if not almost pornographic in some ways. But that’s only if you do not look beneath the surface.

I have read many commentaries about SOS that treat it like a treatise on love and marriage here on earth. I’ll tell you this, if you need such a treatise, there is none better.

When I was a young man, my cousin and I used to work those 1,000 piece puzzles. We had a self-imposed rule that if you touched a piece of the puzzle without knowing where it fit, you were charged one point. When the puzzle was finished, the one with the most points lost. We both learned to solve puzzles.

If I were to present you with a math problem like this:

    3                          y

 + x         AND      +2           AND the total of both equals 14,
    7                          z                                                                                                         

would you be able to find the missing numbers? The answers would be 4; 5; and 7 respectively. That’s the only combination that would work. If you don’t like that solution or try to insert some other values, the equation just won’t add up.

The same is true with any part of the Bible, including the SOS. The answer is always Jesus. Any other answer and the “equation” won’t add up.

What happens to the Song of Solomon if you plug in Jesus and His relation to His Bride, the church? It becomes not a discourse on boy/girl relationships, and far more than an earthly love story, but a revelation of the way Christ loves His church.

I can hear the theologians from all over the globe gasping in disgust as they read this re-hash of an old idea. That’s OK. They’ve been wrong before, and they’re wrong about SOS.

Do it like this and see what happens. Let “Beloved” equal the church, let “Lover” equal Christ and let “Friends” equal the heavenly hosts. When you do that, the book becomes much more than an ancient love song. It becomes much more than a portrayal of God’s perspective on the romantic and sexual love between a man and woman. It springs to life like no other love story in all of history!

As Solomon saw his bride as beautiful, so Christ sees His Bride (the church) as beautiful. As Solomon sees his bride as irresistible, so Christ sees His Bride as irresistible. As Solomon saw his bride as worthy of his love, so Christ sees His Bride as worthy of His love because of his grace.

As Solomon compares his bride with the beauty of womanhood, the unbridled power of Pharaoh’s horses, the rarity of precious gems, the strength of cedars, the fragrance of perfumes and flowers, the grandeur of mountains and the sweetness of the vineyards, so is Christ’s Bride to Him.

The response of Solomon’s bride to him is analogous to Christ’s Bride’s reaction to Him.

In my mind, the whole book of the Song of Solomon speaks of God’s love for His creation and His preparation of the Bride of Christ for the unparalleled wedding feast that is to come.

Every time I read it, I am more breathlessly waiting for that day.

If you know Christ, you're His Bride and the feast will include you!

Now, let’s study the book. This week we’ll look at chapters 1-4. Next week we’ll look at chapters 5-8.

Song of Songs – The Bible Study

1. Some think The Song of Songs sets forth the glory of wedded love; It sets forth the heart of a satisfied husband and a devoted wife.

2. Others say it sets forth the love of Jehovah for Israel. The prophets spoke of Israel as the wife of Jehovah.

3. I believe it is a picture of Christ and the church. The church is the bride of Christ, a familiar figure of Scripture (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:27; Revelation 21).

4. I also think it depicts the communion of Christ and the individual believer. The soul’s communion with Christ is here set forth.

No matter the interpretation, The Song of Solomon tests the spiritual capacity of the reader.

Chapters 1 – 4

Chapter 1

Verses 2-6 – The bride (church) reviews in her mind the meeting with the shepherd (Messiah). As a church we should constantly anticipate being with our Lord. Verse 5: She was sunburned, that is, the church must be found working outside of the confines of its brick and mortar. Verse.6: She was forced by her brothers to keep the vineyard. The world seeks to control the church.  Her “own vineyard” was her own beauty. The world is our vineyard and we need to be working in it.

Verse 7: The shepherd she met did not seem to have any sheep. From the beginning, Christ was anticipating His church They are His sheep. Verses 9-17: The church is to be in love with her shepherd, Jesus, the Christ (Messiah).

Chapter 2

Verses 1-7 – Here is a “vision” of the palace (heaven) that will be ours when we go to live with our shepherd. Verse 1: The church is like the flowers of the land. Verse 2: The bridegroom  (Christ) points out the difference between His church and the world. Verse 3-7: The bride speaks of her love for the bridegroom. Any relationship of the believer to Christ must rest upon His love for the believer and the believer’s love for Him.

Verses 8-17 – The return of the bridegroom after a trip abroad. That is the time of the rapture, when Christ returns for His bride. The bride’s happy anticipation of his return should be the attitude of the believer toward the return of Christ.

This is the highest spiritual expression of any relationship with Christ. It is the high note of the Rapture, the catching up of the believer to be with Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). This section puts into the lovely language of poetry the meaning of the Rapture.

Chapter 3

The bride dreams of the bridegroom while he is away. She seeks him at night and is found by the watchman. Is this not what we should be doing as the Bride of Christ? At last, she finds the bridegroom. Christ, in all of his glory, is pictured entering Jerusalem with his bride. WHAT A PICTURE!!

Chapter 4

Here we have the love song of the bridegroom. This is the expression of deep desire and strong passion. Compare verse 7 with Ephesians 5:25-27. It is impossible for the believer to know (verses 9, 10) how much Christ loves him (Revelation 2:4). Verse 16: The response of the bride (the church) should remind us of Isaiah 53:11.

Does this approximate your feelings for Christ? Is He your beloved? Are you intimate with Him as Solomon was with his beloved? When we call ourselves “the bride of Christ,” are we aware of all that entails? Does it motivate us to be totally immersed in His will for us?

When Will the Church EVER Learn Its Freedom in Christ in ALL Areas?

The theme of Galatians is "Freedom In Christ." Christians like to claim that freedom when it is convenient for them. At other times, they prefer the legalism of the Old Covenant. Nowhere is that more evident than in the area of giving. Many churches and preachers insist on being bound by the Old Covenant concept of tithing.

Is it curious that at no point in Paul's writings is the tithe put forward as a guideline for giving (refute that if you can)? In fact, no New Testament writer either encourages "tithing" under the New Covenant or presents it as the normative or even occasional practice of the church. Yet many of our churches assume that this is the accepted New Testament standard. Those churches either do not believe in the New Covenant (who is Christ) or are too fearful to accept its teaching.

Under Mosaic Law, Israel was commanded to give a tenth of its crops, herds, flocks and the fruit of its trees to support the Levites, who had no inheritance of their own (Leviticus 27:30-32; Numbers 18:21-24). The tithe was to compensate the Levites for the work that they did while serving at the tabernacle.

Abraham gave a tithe, and he was "pre-Law." But he was not required to tithe. He was, however, a part of the Old Covenant. The Old Covenant has been rendered obsolete (either that or Hebrews 8:13 is untrue - in which case we will have to decide which parts of the Bible ARE true).

(Side Note: For this post the term "Old Covenant" is used to collectively refer to the Edamic Covenant; the Adamic Covenant; the Abrahamic Covenant; the Noahic Covenant; the Mosaic Covenant; the Palestinian Covenant and the Davidic Covenant.)

Jesus refers to the Pharisees' custom of tithing even herbs of the land (such as mint, anise and cumin) while neglecting the weightier matters of justice and love of God (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42). He was talking to Jews, not His followers.

The guidelines for giving that Paul puts forward are in accord with a Covenant of the Spirit not with a Covenant of the Letter (2 Cor 3:6). The standard proffered by the New Covenant is a higher one than a tithe. It is 100%, not 10%. Paul instructs the Corinthians that they are to set aside a sum of money each week "in keeping with" their income (literally, "however one has prospered").

Jesus had high praise for the widow who contributed two small copper coins to the temple treasury. She gave that which provided for her daily necessities: "all she had to live on," (Luke 21:4), while the rich contributed out of their surplus. And while the Pharisees may have given 10 percent, proportionately, the widow put in more than all of them combined (Luke 21:3).

In the final analysis, the key to giving lies in the attitude of the heart. In 2 Corinthians 8:12 and 9:7, Paul characterizes the attitude that God finds acceptable.

It must be a willing gift: if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable (2 Corinthians 8:12). It is not the amount that counts with God. If a readiness to give is present, then the gift is gladly received, whether it be large or small.

The gift must also not be offered "reluctantly" or "under compulsion" - literally, "with pain" (2 Corinthians 9:7).

The offering that God finds acceptable is one that has been cheerfully given (9:7; hilarosour English term "hilarious"). The cheerful giver is one who is happy to give and gives gladly and gives as much as is possible.

In the Body of Christ, those who possess a surplus who are in a position to meet existing economic needs. This is clear from 2 Corinthians 8:14, where Paul envisions the Jerusalem church's surplus providing for the Corinthians' lack at a future point.

In the wilderness of Exodus it was God who ensured the needs of the people. Under the New Covenant, God has given the responsibility to each believer.

When will we learn?

Probably never.

ARE YOU A COMPETENT MINISTER OF THE NEW COVENANT?

“He (God) has made us competent as ministers of a NEW COVENANT – not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” ( 2 Corinthians 3:6)

To what is Paul referring when he uses the term “letter?”

To some it makes no difference. They just keep on sanctimoniously continuing in doctrines that belong to the Old Covenant and are too steeped in religiosity to trust in or commit to a New Covenant. They stubbornly cling to teachings they received as children or as babes in Christ and would never trust themselves with a New Covenant. They lack faith in Christ to be the New Covenant.

When using the term "letter," Paul is speaking about the Law of Moses, the essence of the Old Covenant. You can test that with the context of Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and Hebrews) 

The passage that follows (2 Corinthians 3:7-18 and all through 2 Corinthians, chapter 4), considered in the context of the words used, the verses they are in, the book they are in, the Testament they are in, the Covenant they refer to and the Bible as a whole, is a call to be STEEPED in the New Covenant.

Why do some pastors just throw these parts out? Is it because they do not conform to their distorted habit of walking with one foot in the Old Covenant and one foot in the New Covenant?

Consider Hebrews 8:13. Following a magnificent discourse on the New Covenant and its High Priest, Jesus, we read, “By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one OBSOLETE and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.”

Does this mean that the Old Covenant is obsolete? Exactly! That is exactly what it means. But those who hate people who pick and choose Scripture, elect to ignore this passage, again because it does not conform with what they have heard all of their lives.

In many cases, preachers preach as though Scripture is a series of behavioristic rules and regulations designed to help us be good in God’s eyes. News flash! You cannot be good in God’s eyes by doing the things Scripture “requires” of Christians. You can only be good in God’s eyes if He sees you through the advocacy of Jesus Christ.

If that’s the case, what does one do with books like James, which has always been preached by most as a “guide for Christian living?” The answer is: YOU STOP PREACHING JAMES LIKE IT IS A “GUIDE FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING” AND START TEACHING IT AS A BOOK THAT DESCRIBES THE HEART-CHANGE THAT RESULTS FROM A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THROUGH CHRIST, THE ONE WHO IS THE NEW COVENANT!

Most preachers are MUCH too LAZY to do that. They just take the book one verse at a time as if each verse is just a New Testament proverb about being a wise Christian. That it is not. By its own testimony, it is a book about Godly wisdom coming from above, not from the techniques of the world. It is consistent with the concept of the New Covenant being written on our hearts.

If you are saved, you are a creature of and must be committed to the New Covenant. If you are not committed to the New Covenant, you are not saved. You might think you are saved. You might even “feel” saved. Maybe you had an experience that you think was a saving experience. But if you are not aware of and committed to the New Covenant, you are not saved.

You would be well served to admit your stubbornness, repent of bad preaching (preaching a lot of Bible verses and calling it Bible preaching), and receive the blessing of the New Covenant (Christ), whose gift is eternal life and whose Law (love God and others) is written on our hearts.

SUNDAY SOUNDS OF PRAISE-This One's with Me-Newsong

A Study in Proverbs-Treasure Mother

The book of Proverbs was written (for the most part) by Solomon to his son. Far from a hodge-podge of “wise” sayings, it is the advice Solomon gives his son as he grows up in body and in faith in God. Solomon presents each subject in groups and in different ways at different stages of his son’s life.

He repeats each subject several times throughout the book. Each time he approaches a particular subject, he goes deeper into it because the son is  growing older and is able to understand more and more about each subject.

When we are born again, we are babes in Christ, just like Solomon’s son was a babe in the beginning of the book. Like his son, we are supposed to grow in our faith until we are mature in our faith as noted in Romans, 1 Corinthians and other books of the New Testament. With each stage of growth, we will understand more about the indescribable gift we have in God’s grace to us in Christ.

Proverbs 31 was written by Lemuel. The name Lemuel means "he belongs to God." Any time you see the suffix "el" in a an Old Testament word, the word has something to do with God. Some scholars think "Lemuel" was Solomon's mother's pet name for Solomon. You can think what you want about it.

Verses 1-9 - In these verses, the writer is recalling what his mother taught him. Notice that up until now the book has been about what the father (Solomon) was teaching his son. Now the son (Solomon?) recalls what his mother had said.

The gist of verses 1-9 is an intense warning about the company the young man should keep, and how to be a good leader. She admonished him to avoid alcohol (to keep his mind clear), to help the poor, to be fair and to defend those who need his leadership.

Verses 10-31 - Here is the familiar passage about choosing a good wife. Remember, as he was growing up, Solomon's son was introduced to the importance of choosing a good helpmeet. Each time Solomon brought it up, he went into further detail about it. Now the subject is dealt with in great depth. He lists the qualifications he should look for in a wife:

She respects God. She is not lazy. She is not proud. She works hard. And she is glad to work. She is generous to poor people. Her husband can trust her. She studies carefully. She has learned to be wise. She teaches. She uses her money wisely. She is loyal. She has many skills.

A good wife will age, as we all know, but her devotion to her values and to God will not wane.

So who can live up to that standard? the answer is no one. So what, then? Then Christ. He, living through her, can make her what He wants her to be. And even though she will never be perfect, she will be perfect in God's eyes because of Christ.

The most important thing for a woman is to know and love Christ. She must place her trust in, and only in, His finished work at the cross of Calvary.

So must you.

HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY!

Miracles

If you've been a Christian for any length of time, you know that Jesus' first miracle was at Cana when He turned the water into wine. Why did He do that? Was He showing off? Was He demonstrating His ability to do "magical" things? Was He letting everybody know that if they just trust Him He will do great things for them?

None of those is the reason. The passage tells us why He did it. In 2:11 we read, "This, the first of His miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed His glory..."

The miracles were not about the events themselves. Nor were they about the subjects of the miracles. They are not promises to us that He will perform the same types of miracles for us. They were done to show that Jesus is God. That claim is what incited the Pharisees to kill Him.

When Jesus said to His mother, "Dear woman why do you involve me?...My time has not yet come," What did He mean?

Preachers have twisted and turned this phrase "every which way but loose," and still seemed unable to grasp what He was saying. This is one of the few miracles Jesus did that was not followed by an attack from the Pharisees. They weren't at the wedding because it was not to their advantage to be there, and the Pharisees were very opportunistic people.

Jesus' time had not yet come because the Pharisees were virtually absent from the wedding. The time for them to recognize Jesus' claim was still a bit into the future.

You see, when Jesus performed His miracles, the Pharisees recognized their meaning immediately, and they did not like what they recognized.

As John tells us, Jesus was in the beginning with God and Jesus WAS God (John 1:1). The Pharisees were not after Jesus because they were afraid of losing their power. The were not after Jesus because they thought He aroused the people against them. The Pharisees were after Jesus because they knew that through His miracles He was claiming to BE God. That, to them, was heresy of the highest order and worthy of death.

Jesus' second miracle came after He had proclaimed who He was as recorded in John 4. It was the healing at the pool of Bethesda. That miracle was followed by an inquiry by the Pharisees about who had healed the man. This marked the beginning of His time.

From then on, after most of His miracles, the Pharisees made accusations against Him. They then began to search for Him, to try to get Him to stop His miracles and to intimidate Him. When that didn't work, they began to threaten Him. Finally, they even began to set out to kill him. Eventually, they did.

God still provides miracles. He does not, however, provide a miracle every time one is asked for in faith, nor does he hand them out willy-nilly. If He did, they would not be miracles. When He provides a miracle, it is for the purpose of His own glory. It is not for the person who receives the miracle, it is for God.

We need to come to grips with and to realize that nothing is about us. Everything is all about Him. When we come to that understanding, we are more able to focus on Him, praise Him and to be content in every situation. Then we will discover how to rest in Him. We will see that Jesus, in and of Himself, is enough. We need no more; no second blessing, no second filling, and no miracles.

Is Everything You Were Taught Correct?

What ideas were ingrained in your mind when you were a child or began to grow as a Christian?

Were you taught that the church building is "God's House?" It isn't, you know (except in the sense that it is a building dedicated to God. His house on earth is our hearts.)

Were you taught that God is up in Heaven looking down on you, trying to catch you doing something wrong? He isn't, you know.

Were you taught that if you do enough good things they will outweigh the bad things you do and tht will cause God to accept you into Heaven? It won't, you know.

Maybe you were taught that the Bible was written so you would have a guidebook for living in a way that pleases God. It wasn't, you know.

Were you taught that the New Testament is built on the Old Testament? It isn't, you know.

Were you taught that the church is a building where people gather to worship? It isn't, you know.

Were you taught that God has given a list of Laws that good Christians follow to make Him happy with us? He didn't, you know.

 Were you taught that the Old Testament and the Old Covenant are the same thing? They aren't, you know.

Were you taught that the Jewish practices outlined and required in the Old Testament apply to Christians today? They don't, you know. (Yeah, that's right, they don't. Christ fulfilled every single one of them on our behalf. Then He put His New Covenant Law in our hearts.)

Were you taught that there is one proper interpretation but many applications of the Bible in people's lives. That's not true, you know. The Bible is not a group of laws, rules, philosophies or sayings that we must follow, it is God's revelation of His character, His love for His creation and His plan for its redemption. It is not about you at all, it is about God.

Were you taught that sin is a list of things that you fail to do or do wrongly? It isn't, you know.

How many other doctrines and religious ideas can you think of that you were taught wrong about?

Were you taught that sin is any word, deed or thought that is not directly in the center of God's will, therefore we are hopelessly sinful outside of Christ? On that you were taught well.

Were you taught that the only way to please God enough to gain eternal life is to recognize that you are a sinner, repent of that sin and place your trust in, and only in, the finished work of Christ at the cross of Calvary? On that you were taught well.

How Do We Form Biblical Doctrines?

Suppose you made a list of everything the Bible has to say about prayer, praying and prayed, as well as any and all related topics. You’d then be able to make a pretty accurate statement about the Biblical doctrine of prayer, right?

Wrong.

What you would have is a list, nothing more. You would not have context, meaning or proper application, all of which are essential to forming a Biblical doctrine. You could take your list and twist it one way or the other and draw many different conclusions. That’s what cults, heretics and false teachers do.

The proper way to arrive at a Biblical doctrine of prayer would be to read the Bible as a narrative, taking references to prayer as they come, in the context(s) of the word used, the verse it is in, the chapter it is in, the book it is in, the Covenant in which it is applied and the Bible as a whole.

For those who like “topical” preaching, don’t worry. As you read the Bible narratively, every topic you can possibly imagine will be addressed in context and its proper application will become apparent.

It is trendy and popular to use the phrase, “Let the Bible interpret the Bible.” That would be true if properly applied, but it is usually used to make the teacher’s particular point or the preacher’s particular theosophical agenda. Often the context of one section of scripture does, indeed, support the context of another, but not outside of its context.

You can’t say, “God blesses obedience and curses disobedience” outside of its proper context and application. Under the Old Covenant, that was the case. Under the New Covenant, however, obedience comes from the Word of God being written on our hearts and our disobedience is covered by the blood of Christ.

That does NOT condone disobedience. Paul wrote that we should not sin more so that we could experience more grace. In fact, he said, “God forbid.” Instead, Paul encouraged us to allow the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts in such a way that we would not even WANT to stray from God’s will. In a given situation we would know what is right by our focus on how the Holy Spirit is leading.

It is impossible to be focused on Christ and the leadership of His Holy Spirit and to do something outside of God’s will. Behaving outside of God’s will occurs when we lose our focus. When Paul admonished us to pray without ceasing, that is exactly what he was writing about. To pray without ceasing is to keep our minds and desires focused on Christ in every situation.

The doctrine of giving is another doctrine in which context is essential. Under the Old Covenant with the Jews, the Law required a tithe (10%). Under the New Covenant, in Christ, the requirement is 100%. Why would a Christian under grace allow a Jew under the Law to give more than the Christian under grace? That is a disgrace to grace. This is not about Old Testament vs. New Testament, it is about the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant.

According to Hebrews 8:13, “By calling this covenant ‘new,’ he has made the first one OBSOLETE; and what is OBSOLETE and outdated will soon disappear.”

So, when you formulate a doctrine, be certain that it is really a Biblical doctrine, and not your own private interpretation of Scripture.